Window cleaner having companion magnets



Apfil 14, 1953 G. COLEMAN 4 WINDOW CLEANER HAVING COMPANION MAGNETSFiled Aug. 6, 1947 INVENTOR E 695 05; COLE/W md'l div ATTORNEY PatentedApr. 14, 1953 OFFICE WINDOW CLEANER HAVING COMPANION MAGNETS GregoryColeman, New York, N. Y. Application August 6, 1947, Serial No. 766,644

3 Claims. (01. 15-121) This invention relates to window cleaning devicesand more particularly to magnetic windowcleaners. I

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of amagnetic window-cleaning device to enable the outside of a window to becleaned by manipulation of the device at the inner side of the window,without requiring the use of electricity during the operation of the device, thus eliminating electrical wiring and the cost and disadvantagesthereof.

- Another object of the invention is the provision of a magneticwindow-cleaning device which is of simple construction and convenient inuse, and which can be produced at low cost.

The above and other objects, features and disadvantages of the presentinv ntion will be fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which, however, areto be taken as illustrative of the invention but not in limitationthereon.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof a magnetic window-cleaning-deviceembodying the present invention showing said device applied to a window;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the device;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the device showing one of the cleaning membersdisposed with the squeegee carried thereby in operative relation to thewindow;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the inner cleaning member;

Fig. 5 is a side or face view of the outer cleaning member.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown in Fig. l, awindow having the upper and lower vertically slideable window sashes IBand 12 of the usual construction each having a glass window pane I4mounted therein. The window cleaning device N5 of the present inven tioncomprises the inner and outer windowcleaning members I8 and 29,respectively, which, in the use of the device are disposed at the innerand outer sides of the glass window pane M.

The inner window-cleaning member l8 comprises a permanent magnet 22which is preferably in the form of an elongated rectangular bar. Themagnet 22 is provided with a layer of cleaning material 24 disposed onthe face thereof which is adjacent the window pane [4 for cleaning thelatter. Said layer 24 of cleaning material is preferably formed of feltor of any other suitable fabric or cleaning pad material and is securedto the magnet 22, preferably removably, in any suitable way, as byscrews or by a-retaining ring (not shown). As here shown, a handle 26provided on a base 28 of Wood, plastic, or any other suitable materialis attached to the magnet 22 by a screw threaded part 39 which isthreaded into the magnet. The base 28 may be utilized, as here shown,for securing the layer 24 of cleaning material in position on themagnet. In this connection it will be understood that upon unfasteningor partially unfastening the handle 26 so as to unclamp. base 28, thelayer 24 may be removed for replacement by another layer of cleaningmaterial.

The outer window-cleaning member 20 comprises a permanent magnet 32which is preferably but not necessarily of the same size as magnet 20. Alayer 34 of cleaning material which may be the same material as thelayer 24 of member 18 is disposed so as to cover one face 36 of magnet32. The opposite face 38 of the magnet has a squeegee 40 mounted thereonand extending longitudinally thereof, said squeegee being preferably,but not necessarily, secured in a groove 42 provided in said face 38 ofthe magnet. Portions 34a of layer 34 are overlapped on face 38 so as toprovide cushioning material at opposite sides of the squeegee 40. Itwill be understood that the cleaning material 34 may be attached to themagnet 32 in any suitable way, preferably removably, as by screws or bya retaining ring (not shown).

In the use of the device, for cleaning the lower window pane M, themembers I8 and 20 having been moistened with water or other cleaningliquid are disposed at the opposite sides of said window pane inconfronting relation, with said members l8 and 20 disposed so that thenorth and south poles of member i8 are adjacent the south and northpoles, respectively, of member 20, said north and south poles of eachmagnet being indicated by the reference characters N and S respectivelyin Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Cleaning members l3 and 26 are preferably providedwith these or other indicia of polarity to aid the user in positioningthe cleaning members in the correct relation.

It will be noted that since each of the cleaning members includes apermanent magnet said cleaning members are disposed in mutuallyattracting relation so that as said inner member is is moved over thewindow pane M for cleaning the inside of said window pane, the outermember 2a is correspondingly moved over the outer side of said windowpane for cleaning said outer side thereto simultaneously with thecleaning of the inner side of the window pane. The relative position ofthe cleaning members with the cleaning material 24 and 34 respectivelythereof disposed adjacent the. opposite sides, respectively, of thewindow pane as illustrated in Fig. 2, and it will be understood that inthis relative position of the cleaning members the layer of cleaningmaterial prevents contact'of the magnets 22 and 32 with the glass of thewindow pane. When the cleaning member 2!) is reversed from its positionshown in Fig. 2 to its position shown desired, after the operation ofthe squeegee 49 at A the outer side of the window pane is completed sothat the two cleaning members I 8 and 20 may cleaning member 20 to beplaced at the outer side of the upper window pane while the innercleaning member is positioned at the inner side of the upper Windowpane.

Thus it is seen that the magnet window-cleaning device is well adaptedto accomplish the purposes thereof, and in this connection it will benoted that with reasonable care in the use of the device the cleaningmember 20 at the outside of the window is at all times held in positionin movable relation over the outside surface of the window bymanipulation of the inner cleaning member l8. If desired, the inner andouter cleaning members I8 and 20 may be tethered to each other by aflexible cord or chain of suificient length to allow for the properrange of movement of the two cleaning members over the entire surface ofthe window pane. It will be noted that as pointed out above the twocleaning members aredisposed in mutually attracting relation by reasonof the magnetic attraction of eachv of the magnets on the other, so thatthereis no danger of either of the magnets being removed from the windowaccidentally or thoughtlessly, since the mutual magnetic attractionbetween members l8 and 29 does not depend upon the connection of anyelectric Wiring to a source of energizing current or to the continuousflow of such current which would be required if either of the cleaningmembers were operated by an electro-magnet. The provision of a permanentmagnet and the elimination of electrical wiring and the iron corerequired for an electro-magnet considerably reduces the weight of thedevice and correspondingly facilitates the use thereof and materiallyreduces the cost of the device.

It will be understood that various changes in the underlying idea orprinciples of this invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is: V 1. A window cleaning device adapted to be actuatedat the inner side of a window for cleaning bothrthe inside and outsidethereof simultaneously, comprising a pair of individual magneticwindow-cleaning members adapted to be disposed in mutually attractingrelation at the opposite sides, respectively, of the window, each ofsaid members comprising a permanent magnet, said magnet being in theform of a bar, each of said bars having a layer of cleaning materialreleasably held on the face thereof which is adjawindow for cleaning thelatter results in corresponding movement of the cleaning member at theouter side of said window for cleaning the outer side thereof.

2. A window cleaning device adapted to be actuated at the inner side ofa window for cleaning both the inside and outside thereofsimultaneously, comprising a pair of individual magnetic window-cleaningmembers adapted to be disposed in mutually attracting relation at theopposite sides, respectively, of the window, each of said memberscomprising a permanent magnet, said magnet being in the form of a bar.each of said bars having-a layer of cleaning material releasably held onthe, face thereof which is adjacent to the adjacent side of the window,one of said members having a handle for facilitating the movementthereof, said handle being movable relative to its associated permanentmagnet for clamping and unclamping cleaning material to said associatedmagnet, and the other of said members having on its opposite faces acovering layer of cleaning material and;

a squeegee, respectively, said last mentioned bar having a longitudinalgroove in one of said faces thereof and said squeegee being fixed insaid groove, and cushioning material disposed on said one of said facesat opposite sides of said squeegee, the latter projecting outwardlybeyond said cushioning material, said cushioning ma-' terial comprisingend portions of said covering layer of cleaning material on said lastmentioned bar.

3. A window cleaning device adapted to be actuated at the inner side ofa window for cleaning both the inside and outside thereofsimultaneously, comprising a pair of individual magnetic window-cleaningmembers adapted to be disposed in mutually attracting relation at theopposite sides, respectively, of the window, each of said memberscomprising a permanent magnet, said magnets being in the form ofelongated bars, each of said elongated bars having a layer of cleaningmaterial releasably held on the face thereof which is adjacent to theadjacent side of the window, one of said members having a handle forfacilitating the movement thereof, said handle being axially movableinwardly and outwardly of its associated permanent magnet for clampingand unclamping, respectively, cleaning material to said associatedmagnet, the movement of the cleaning member at the inner side of saidwindow for cleaning the latter results in corresponding movement of thecleaning member at the outer side thereof.

GREGORY COLEMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 970,563 Schwalen Sept. 20, 1910 1,357,869 Howard Nov. 2, 19201,603,175 Weisz Oct. 12, 1926 1,758,723 Thatcher May 13, 1930 1,928,230Reynolds Sept. 26, 1933 2,013,200 Conway Sept. 3, 1935 2,109,606Anderson Mar. 1, 1938 2,206,006 Hendrey June 25, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 31,958 Norway Mar. 14, 1921 34,966 Denmark Aug. 26,1925 107,361 Austria Mar. 10, 1926

